A Court of Fire and Lies

Interrogated

I can't believe it, our bond is still there. I glance down at my arm wanting to see the encircling tattoo that I shared with my equal. Gently swirling my finger along the invisible lines that marked there which I had already memorized since I remove the cloak each night, studying it. Sometimes I swear I can see it sparkle slightly. I knew the bond couldn't break, but  I didn't want to get my hopes up if it had truly been destroyed. I wonder if anything has changed since this is a mating bond and not a deal that I made with him of of destitution. 

I glance up at Tamlin, his face tan and stone like. I shrink back a little further in my seat wishing I could be anywhere else but here. And then I hear him. Rhys. Just a soft echo at first and then it turns into a thought a sound that moves through my head like a river with the sound of his voice. Smooth like calm. 

Say something. He says. I have to clench my fist to stop from smiling. Well it seems it already clicked for him as well. An image flashes through my mind soft and blurry. I can't quite make out what it is but I know it's the bond. Perhaps a dream? Or a vision. A soft purr enters my mind and I feel my heart begin to race. Excitement rushes through me and I get the feeling that Rhys now a how happy I am when under hear him chuckle. Tamlin doesn't seem to notice this as he says, "So to get down to business, I think we first need to discuss what you saw at the Night Court. Before we had little information then you helped but I want a much clearer picture or what life is really like there. Are there secret passages or anything at all. Or did Rhysand wipe your memory of it." He raises one eyebrow and I just want to punch him in his face so hard. A feeling of amusement passes through me, so obviously I can feel Rhys' emotions as well as hear his thoughts that he sends me. 

The urge to lunch Tamlin in the throat doesn't leave me. I had long ago learned to control my strength and thanks to Cassian I could probably have a show down with him here and now. A half smile appears on my face.

No no no. He purrs softly. I hear, my smile falls. We need you to stay on his side. Make him believe your still on his side in all of this. Make something up but don't mention Velaris. Well that's no fun now is it. 

I nod to myself and reply with, "Everything is still a bit foggy. He might have. I don't know. It was all so confusing one minute I was here then there was a mass of darkness and suddenly I was in the Court of Nightmares. Scared so I took comfort in Rhys, though now I know that it was all mind control all that is left is pure hatred." I feel a soft amount of sadness in my head, most definitely a feeling from Rhys. Though I know he knows that I don't mean a word of it. From what I said seems to have made Tamlin angry, his nostrils flair and terror runs through me as a flashback hits me of when he went crazy and thrashed this room. Luckily I have the power of Wind. I regain composure when Tamlin says, "so what your telling me is that you don't remember much and from you do was a lie." I nod my head. "Then my only question is. What did Rhysand do to you or make you do while you were under his control." I gulp at his question. I don't know what to say, words seem to have lost me and I could lie, but I decide to make him squirm a little. "Do you mean did we sleep together? Because I don't really see how that's any of your business when you are keeping secrets from me like I don't know where's Inathe Tamlin. Why are so many doors locked huh? So until your ready to spill your guts." I say, "I sure as hell won't be telling you anything." Screw him, I get up angrily from the chair practically running toward the door, he still hasn't changed. He still wants me to be his darling prize and just wear dresses and plan parties. Well I can't, and Rhys certainly never asked me to. I feel a gleaming of pleasure run down my spine and it sends a shiver through me. That bastard, some how even miles away he can still get to me. A wicked smile crosses my face as I turn the handle quickly to leave the room but suddenly I feel myself being jerked back roughly. A shock of fear runs through me as  Tamlin is suddenly kissing me, passionately, his hand running up my thigh and lips across my neck. I feel my stomach clench and anger run through me. He still knows nothing of what just happened. I jerk him off and he goes flying into his desk. "Tamlin." I say loudly. "Give me some space, God." He buys it and composes himself. As I leave the room I hear a growl behind me. Wiping away his scent I race outside, sentries immediately following me but until slip ever so easily into their minds, their walls not nearly thick enough and tell them to go somewhere else. Leaving me in piece I go into the forest. Stepping away from the trail and leaving the mansion behind me I go to the one place I still actually like here. Atop a hill and the entire time I walk there Rhys talks to me. Or through thoughts at least,  though I can't reply though grieve to do so I'm smiling the whole way there. He tells me how Mor is going crazy and is busy creating a plan to get me out of here, how Amren is drinking tons of blood while planning how to take down Jurian and the King of Hybern. But mostly I just want to hear about my sisters. Nesta is angry and won't eat while Cassian tries to seduce her though she smugly turns him down. Probably a first for him. And Elain, well she's getting better. From the moment she turned fae she has been acting strange. Rhys thinks she has some sort of gift but no one else thinks so. But he was right about my power so I won't doubt what he says now. 

I finally reach the hill and by that time the stars have begun to shine the sun kissing the horizon and I start to cry. Wiping away tears because I don't know what I'm going to do and the stars only remind me of Rhys. Why couldn't the plan have worked that day, why were we so stupid to think it would be that easy and now it feels as if my world is shattering and there is nothing I can do about it. Though sharing thoughts with Rhys puts me at ease a little bit doesn't consolidate my fears of when I will see him again. In a few months or weeks. Or years. They feel like a blink of an eye in fae time so. I shove the thought away and focus on what I do have control on. I lay down, my back meeting soft grass and my eyes glancing up to a sparkle bitten sky with a moon hanging there surrounded by stars that remind me of starfall and the perfect night it was. I reach my arm up into the sky dipping my fingers into a shadow above that reminds of the ones that appear when Rhys lets his wings show. Letting my hand fall back I close my eyes and soon I am fast asleep.

 In my dream I see Rhys, laying in his bed tossing and turning as if a nightmare haunts his sleep. A moment  later his eyes flicker open and he lets out a heavy sigh and sits up running  a hand through his hair. He looks to the door  across the room. His bedroom is cloaked in darkness but he moves with ease as he paces around the room stopping at the door every so often and places a hand upon the door knob before deciding not to. And then a second later he moves back into the bed and then gets up again. Moving swiftly to the door he places a hand and turns the door knob and goes into the hallway and moves to the left stopping at another room. It's as if I am watching from the ceiling looking down upon him as if I'm truly with him though he can't see me, or hold me or kiss me. 

When he opens the door to the other room I see that it's mine. He goes in and walks into the balcony staring out at the small twinkling lights of the sleeping city of Velaris. He steps away and lets out a heavy sigh and then stops by my bed then lays down on it. Pulling up the covers I see him mouth the words I love you and then close his eyes. Suddenly the dream ends with only more darkness, when my eyes open I feel hot tears running down my cheeks. I turn to the side, the grass now wet with dew and the sky of pure darkness. I know I shouldn't stay here but I can't leave. The stars beckon me and the fresh air ask me to stay. I take in a deep breath filling my lungs with clear air and say aloud to myself as my eyes drift close again, "I love you too." And then I'm asleep.